photo courtesy of Corey Schneider

Three years ago, Corey Schneider moved to New York, armed with a business administration degree and a dual concentration in marketing and entrepreneurship and innovation, from the Kogod School of Business. Working as associate retention marketing manager for one of the largest media companies in the world, Time Inc., he was living the life. Or was he?  

"I live in the best city in the world and still haven't explored it," he says he realized of his time in the city. That's when he decided to go out every weekend and explore places off the beaten path. He used Google to find the different boroughs, but says he jokes that he had to bribe friends to go with him. "I can't believe no one wants to do this with me," he thought.

This pushed Corey into action. It started with a group he created on Facebook in December 2013. Originally named the New York Adventure Club for Non-Boring People, he decided to cut it down, as to not offend. It became, as it is now, the New York Adventure Club. As a contributor to untappedcities.com., writing articles for them had prepared him for his new vision. Untappedcities.com is a website where contributors share their experience uncovering the best of urban life from cities across the globe. 

"New York has such breathtaking hidden gems. This group helps my time in NY be more fulfilling. People don't take full advantage of their cities. I'm trying to make an overwhelming feat digestible," he observed. After about a month on Facebook, he took it a step further and began booking events. He started with three or four free tours, but his first post only garnered two responses. 

A post about the Brooklyn Army Terminal changed his luck. "I'll never forget the day. I was at work on a Friday afternoon, and over 100 people joined the group in one hour! I freaked out because no secure ticketing plan had been put into place. I just hadn't thought that far ahead," he shares.

The New York Adventure Club is now an active community of more than 600 local urbanites looking to uncover the hidden treasures in their city and meet great people along the way. 

Corey points out, "There's a need to understand the city better. New York Adventure Club helps locals check out places they haven't heard or thought of before. It also gives them an easy way to uncover their hometown treasures. With a simple RSVP, locals can attend a unique, private, or exclusive tour while connecting with a community of like-minded urban explorers." 

The sole operator of the company, Corey sends out an event newsletter every Friday that features affordable and practical weekend events organized by borough. Every event is now a ticketed opportunity. "People have no excuse not to go out and try at least one," he says.

Corey shares that his time at AU really opened his eyes to his business interests. His management and marketing classes proved extremely helpful. "You take classes thinking the real world doesn't operate the way you learn. Once you get out and witness that it does happen that way, you're excited about being knowledgeable."